1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a radiation detector having a plurality of detector elements arranged following each other in the direction of incoming radiation propagation, and wherein the radiation detector is integrally constructed from a semiconductor body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Semiconductor radiation detectors may be used in a detector array of a computer tomograph for detecting x-radiation which has penetrated an examination subject. Detector elements which are disposed earliest in the direction of radiation propagation function as filters for following detector elements. The mean radiation energy of the received radiation can be identified from the output signals of the detector elements, which are individually acquired. It is also possible using such radiation detectors to undertake a correction according to the increase in radiation hardness in the exposure subject, a correction for the different spectral sensitivities of the detector elements, as well as a correction for the fluctuations of the mean energy of the spectrum emitted by the radiator, including the pre-filtering.
A radiation detector is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 60-78376 consisting or a semiconductor body having spaced surfaces which proceed substantially parallel to the direction of radiation propagation. The semiconductor body is sub-divided into a plurality of detector elements by at least one section having a lower conductivity than the adjacent regions, which proceeds transversely relative to the radiation propagation direction. The region of lower conductivity is formed by an empty channel in one of the surfaces, the channel proceeding transversely relative to the radiation propagation direction. The individual detector elements of this known radiation detector function as radiation-sensitive resistors, i.e., resistors whose resistance value changes dependent on the intensity of the radiation. To enable detection of radiation, it is thus necessary to connect each of the individual detector elements to a voltage source, and to measure the current flowing through the detector elements. This is disadvantageous in practice.